John Gilbert

Somebody needs to get Maury “You are the father” Povich to Mystic Falls. Poor Elena had to find out that the man who raised her, and died in a car accident, wasn’t her biological father. Instead, her Uncle John Gilbert is her actually her dad, and he was never quite Papa of the Year. The vampire hater switched sides so many times that everyone had a hard time believing his motivation was to keep Elena safe from Klaus.

After Isobel, Elena’s biological mother, committed vampiric suicide, Elena and John had a heart-to-heart talk, and she agreed to work with him. It seemed the only way John could truly prove his loyalty to Elena was by giving his life for her, which he did when Bonnie cast a spell exchanging his soul for his daughter’s. In his final act of redemption, John wrote a tear-jerking letter to Elena, telling her that he accepted her and loved her, no matter what.

Fast facts:

John was the proud owner of one of the coveted Gilbert rings. It saved his life when Damon pushed him off a balcony, and he willed it to Elena for her future children when he died.

Although she was never really a member of his fan club, Aunt Jenna had a relationship with John in the past.

In a classic John Gilbert moment, the double crosser both gave Damon the weapon to kill Elijah (the dagger dipped in white ash) and didn’t reveal that using it would kill not only the original vamp but the elder Salvatore as well.